Sheet Metal Cover with Power On Light for removed ADAM Printer Power Supply

The Coleco's ADAM Sheet Metal Cover with Power On Light was a niche aftermarket hardware accessory sold in the late 1980s and 1990s by ADAM's House (later known online as eColeco). It was designed for a very specific, budget-conscious DIY hardware modification: converting a factory ADAM printer into a standalone external power supply.

The Problem It Solved

As established with the system's architecture, the Coleco ADAM console lacks an internal transformer and relies entirely on the SmartWriter Daisy Wheel Printer to supply its power.

For users who wanted to get rid of the massive printer but did not want to buy an expensive, newly manufactured external switching power supply, the alternative was a "printer ectomy." This involved opening the SmartWriter printer, completely gutting the power supply board and heavy transformer from its internal chassis, and discarding the rest of the mechanical printer plastics. However, this left the user with an ugly, dangerous, exposed internal power circuit board covered in live AC voltages.

The ADAM's House Solution

Terry Fowler of ADAM's House/eColeco manufactured this custom sheet metal enclosure kit to safely house that harvested printer power board:

• The Enclosure: A rugged, custom-bent sheet metal cover that wrapped around the original exposed factory power transformer and circuit board, shielding users from electrical shock.
• The Power Indicator: The cover integrated a custom-wired "Power On" status LED light, giving the modified power brick a clean, consumer-retail look.
• The Cost-Efficiency: Retailing historically in their clearance catalogs for around $99.95, it allowed users to recycle their existing Coleco hardware into a functional desktop power brick without requiring advanced electronic fabrication skills.